You are here

Smith humbled by win

Looking for votes: Logan County Sheriff Steve Smith waves while campaigning on Tuesday, May 20. Smith defeated two opponents to win the Democratic Nomination for County Sheriff in the election. Smith will face Magazine Police Chief Boyd Hicks in November.

Logan County Sheriff Steve Smith accomplished something pretty rare in the Democratic Primary held May 20.

Smith defeated two opponents without the need for a runoff to win the Democratic nomination for Sheriff.

Smith now moves on to the November General Election where he’ll face Republican Boyd Hicks, who won his party’s primary on May 20.

“I was hoping to avoid a runoff,” Smith said after the votes were counted. “But, I didn’t expect to because it’s pretty rare.”

Smith got 62.4 percent of the vote on election day to defeat challengers Tom Bruce of New Blaine and Charles Pearson of Paris.

Here are the final vote totals in the race:

Smith 991 62.4 percent

Bruce 408 25.71 percent

Pearson 188 11.85 percent

Bruce, a criminal investigator for the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department, was making his first try to win an elected office. Pearson, a former Paris Police Chief, served eight terms representing District 6 on the Logan County Quorum Court.

Smith said he was “very humbled” by the support he got from voters on election day.

“I’m going to continue working hard every day to earn the continued support of the public,” Smith said. “I also appreciate the fact that my opponents ran hard, clean campaigns.”

Smith, who has 19 years of experience in law enforcement, is seeking his fifth, two-year term in office. Smith first won the Sheriff’s job in 2006. He didn’t draw an opponent in either 2010 or 2012.

Smith now turns his attention to the fall campaign.

“Boyd is a very hard campaigner, but I’m going to work really hard, too,” Smith said.